NBC Sports’ newest addition, Josh Elliott, who is preparing his role as a correspondent for the network’s coverage of the Belmont Stakes and California Chrome’s run for the Triple Crown, provides the voice for Golf Channel Films’ presentation of Payne, a one-hour documentary chronicling the life and career of the late Payne Stewart, and premiering Sunday, June 8 at 5 p.m. ET on NBC and Monday, June 9 at 10 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. Fans can follow the conversation surrounding the film by using the hashtag #Payne on Twitter or following @GolfChannel.
Next week, the U.S. Open Championship will return to historic Pinehurst Resort on the 15-year anniversary of Stewart’s victory there. Four months later, he would die in a tragic and bizarre airplane crash in a field in South Dakota. Payne remembers the dedicated family man, entertainer, jokester and golf fashion icon with his signature plus-fours and tam-‘o-shanter caps. The film is produced by 15-time, Emmy Award-winner Peter Franchella, who followed Stewart and Phil Mickelson as an NBC cameraman during the final round of the ’99 U.S. Open.
Golf Channel and NBC will provide a record 75 combined hours of live coverage during U.S. Open week. Golf Channel’s Live From the U.S. Open coverage begins this Monday, with live tournament coverage beginning Thursday, June 12 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC. Coverage of the Belmont Stakes begins Saturday on NBCSN at 2:30 p.m. ET, with race coverage beginning on NBC at 4:30 p.m. ET.